Bell 47G-3B-1 SOLOY accident near Townsend, Montana, June 30, 1983
On June 30, 1983 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 SOLOY (helicopter), registered N1334X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Townsend, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1983 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Townsend, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 SOLOY 47G-3B-1 S · all 47G-3B-1 SOLOYs on the register
- Registration
- N1334X · registry record · serial 6555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER MADE A HARD TOUCHDOWN DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. DURING THE LANDING THEMAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. THE PILOT STRETCHED THE AUTOROTATIONAL GLIDE TO REACH A HAY FIELD AND LOST MAIN ROTOR RPM IN THE PROCESS. THE ENGINE DIED OF FUEL STARVATION BECAUSE OF A LOW FUEL STATE AND BECAUSE THE PILOT WAS DESCENDING AT HIGH SPEED WITH NOSE LOW. IN THIS ACFT ACCORDING TO A TEST PILOT WHO SPECIALIZES IN THIS MODEL CAUTION MUST BE USED TO AVOID UNUSUAL PITCH ATTITUDES WITH A LOW FUEL STATE. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD A 30 DEGREE NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE FUEL TANKS ARE SLANTED 10 DEGREES AFT TO COMPENSATE FOR A 7 DEGREE NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IN NORMAL HIGH SPEED (80 MPH) CRUISE. THE PILOT SAID THE GAUGES SHOWED ABOUT 10 GALLONS JUST BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE FELT STARVATION OCCURRED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,260 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 350 in the last 90 days; 10,260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1983; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E. Of Townsend MT
- Destination: Townsend MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N1334X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN83LA154.